I believe that Tad Cummins has committed a crime; that he's crossed professional and ethical lines and I believe, deep down, he knows it.
But my own guess isn't that he's been criminally masterminding assaults on girls via the Dark Web, but that he's made a long series of increasingly bad to criminal choices.
I suspect, for instance, that Tad started out by occasionally flirting with his favorite female students, obviously inappropriately, and possibly because he had some underlying insecurities and enjoyed the affirmation of having teen girls think he was "cool."
The way I see it escalating is that each time he builds a "special, teacher's pet" sort of relationship with a girl, maybe he allows himself to go a little further. Give a compliment that's a bit over the line. Becoming increasingly flirtatious. Perhaps a little handsy--a touch on the shoulder, the arm, the hand.
My guess is he slowly allowed his boundaries to slip and habits he used to understand as "inappropriate" became normal for him.
I also think he has some ongoing insecurities, that may have become exacerbated during middle age. He perhaps gained some weight, started graying, saw some wrinkles and the relationship with the girls is where he felt (again, inappropriately) best and youngest.
Let's suppose on top of that, he felt under appreciated by bosses or his wife or any other figure. That he resented people not affirming him more.
If this was his psyche, when EC became a part of his life, I think he could've told himself he was genuinely in love. That this girl in her innocence could see good in him others couldn't.
This may have triggered his desire to be a protector of her, to rescue her--someone who believed in him--from hardship.
In the process of doing so, he opened up more and more emotionally to her and she to him. It may have been under the guise of spirituality or mentorship.
I think Tad was already locked onto TC by the time a kiss between them was reported. For weeks or maybe months, he may have been imagining what it would be like to leave his adult responsibilities and run away with his "best friend" as he--scarily--called her. But I am guessing at some point, those ideas changed from fantasies to planning. Perhaps when Tad got suspended, for instance.
In his arrogance, I am thinking he resented the community for the accusations. That he began pushing a desperate escape plan that Elizabeth possibly entertained but didn't fully buy into. That when she expressed misgivings, he talked her back into idealizing some getaway new life with him.
I think he told himself they could start over and he could somehow still live a Christian life before God if he somehow (irrationally) married her (which is why he researched this).
I think you'll find more people will come out and say he was arrogant or controlling and that more girls will come out and say he flirted with them.
But I think through his faith, perhaps, he was able to stay on this side of criminal for a long time. Now he's taken the plunge.
Tad, if you're listening, I think you know you went too far...that you've chosen a course that is far away from where 20-something you imagined you would go. That you got wrapped up in wanting to feel good about yourself and pursue what would make you happy and you talked yourself into believing you were somehow doing something noble or that could be accepted in God's eyes. But the truth is, you lost touch with reality. You gave in to unhealthiness. You crossed professional and ethical boundaries and entered into a relationship with a teenaged girl. You separated a 15 year old girl from her family and friends. You cut her off from a long and bright future she has in front of her. And you took away her right to grow up, mature, and choose a life as a fully formed adult.
And here's the thing. You cannot sustain the life you are living. Guilt will follow you. Authorities will hunt you down. You both will become dissatisfied with hiding, resentful of each other and the course you've taken, and regretful of cutting ties with your families. Please. Come back and take responsibility for this. Bring her home alive and safe. Give the authorities all they need to know. Accept the charges and the penalties. And then get counseling and support to try and get back to a state where you can contribute good to your family at home. You don't want this to be your legacy.
<<This is my opinion, based on being on the field of education and a long history with the Christian church. I would like to add again that unequivocally, a 15 year old cannot give informed adult consent for sex, marriage, or drastic life changes like these. This in unequivocally a criminal, immoral, unethical, and dangerous series of actions that I would like to see halted and reversed as soon as possible. God help us find them.>>
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